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Review and Rating

Comment: After being entirely focused on 2 small kids for years, I really wanted to integrate a much needed regular workout into my life again.
I got a couple of recommendations for the Mark Morris Dance Center from this forum and gave it a shot. They have many, many classes of different styles and skill levels to pick from.
I was specifically looking for a class that doesn't teach a specific choreography, because due to my husband's work schedule we sometimes have to handle childcare flexibly. Every now and then I have to stay home with the kids on short notice and therefore have to miss a class.
Also, when you don't feel like your best version but rather worn-out, "competing" with skilled and great looking dancers isn't exactly what we're looking for, right? ;)
I found two really great classes I'd like to recommend.
1. GAGA.people
Doesn't have anything to do with Lady Gaga.
Borrowed from Wikipedia:
"It's a movement language and pedagogy developed by Batsheva Dance Company director and teacher Ohad Naharin.
Dancers find new ways to connect to their inner beast without being self-conscious about how the movement looks while at the same time discovering how to listen to their bodies/self.
Mirrors are avoided in Gaga training to facilitate movement guided by sensing and imagining rather than sight.
Gaga.people is designed for the general public and requires no dance training."
This video might give you an idea:
https://youtu.be/cEQ712Gb7F4
At Mark Morris the Gaga class is a nicely mixed group of individuals from the 20-year-old professional ballet dancer to the 80-year-old Chinese man, so some people are very skilled and some obviously have very little dance experience.
It's not about skills though and even though it might feel a little awkward in the beginning (I wouldn't call it beautiful to watch), it feels really great to be so focused on yourself and in touch with your body and emotions.
Also you work through all your body parts within that hour, so everything gets a good stretch without being being to exhausting.
https://markmorrisdancegroup.org/classes/people/
2. Dance Church
"It’s a dance class that feels more like a party. Dance Church™ is a guided improvisation dance fitness class. The teacher leads class in a series of movement cues, accompanied by a curated playlist of multi-genre pop music. Feel the music and move as your body desires. The mirrors are covered, the lighting is dim, and the music is loud. In this class, be prepared to move continuously for 90 minutes without having to memorize set choreography."
Again, a very mixed crowd from trained dancers to people who just enjoy dancing.
It's fun, but also one of the hardest workouts I've ever experienced (the first 3 times I thought I'll pass out after 10 minutes of dancing). There are no rules though, people can take breaks and follow at their own pace.
Everyone is just focused on themselves, so there's no pressure to perform.
Also it's fairly dark, so it feels almost anonymous.
I've never been a fan of the classical gym treadmill, so to me this is the most fun way to enjoy a proper workout and get negative/pent-up energy and feelings of frustration out.
https://markmorrisdancegroup.org/classes/dance-church/
Also, classes at Mark Morris are fairly reasonably priced (between $14 and $17), which is another upside in a city where a 45-minute infant class easily costs $30.
I'm not affiliated with Mark Morris or either of the programs. Just a happy and grateful customer.

Comment: them every 8 weeks. Just so you know, sign up is very, very competitive for Saturday classes and they fill up within a couple of minutes (meaning 5 mins) when the registration is posted. They do run the classes every day of weekday mornings, as well, and those full up less quickly. The classes are EXCELLENT and involve engaged teachers, props, singing, movement, and a live pianist. They are also a little less expensive than many classes available. We are in our second session and plan on continuing as long as our daughter keeps loving them.

Comment: Mark Morris School of Dance right across from BAM in Fort Greene has many children's classes by age. I think their spring semester sign up opens tomorrow. I have been sending my 2.5yr old to the toddler movement classes and he loves them.

Comment: Specific program name: Ballet IntermediateHeld: After schoolReview: It wasn't as challenging as she would have liked it but the space is beautiful and fellow classmates were very nice.
Skills developed: grace, poise, balanceWhat would you change about the program, if anything, and why? More creativity in the classAge of child: 15Based on an experience from the 2016-2017 school year

Comment: Mark Morris. They are wonderful and close to you. They do not do recitals (or at least they didn't when I had a kid there) but they do invite parents in each semester to see what the students have been working on. They teach proper technique and terminology but keep everything age appropriate. We really liked them.

Comment: I signed my daughter and I up for the movement class this last session and have been enjoying it. My daughter is 2. This is more of a structured movement class more than dance. We start with the hello song (everyone goes around the room and sings hello to each child) and then there are various mini activities: playing with scarves (moving them up and down, swaying like a tree), using a parachute to lift up and run to various colors, circle time where we stretch and maybe do a plié or two, running around on tippy toes, standing on a dot and then pretending to be driving a car etc. if you are looking for a dance class I wouldn't recommend this series honestly. I enjoy it as I wanted to do a mommy and me type class but it's not dance based.....Mark Morris classes have live accompaniments so that's always a plus. Not sure if they do other dance offerings for toddlers but the movement class is likely not what you're looking for based on your post.....

Comment:
I really enjoyed it when I went with my first when he was around that age. IMHO, pretty much any dance class for the 3 & under set is going to be creative movement. Some teachers will throw in some terminology like plié or relevé, but there will also be a lot of imagination stuff (dancing like animals) and props (scarves, bubbles, etc.).Mark Morris is definitely one of the best priced mommy & me classes nearby.

Comment: I found it to be too structured for that age group. My son always became fussy at multiple points during the class because there were so many transitions that required putting materials away or changing the activity, which is not ideal for 1-year-olds. As an example, the teacher would hand out balls, do a five minute movement activity with them, and then require that the balls be put away. Then scarves would come out and the same thing would happen. It's no fun for 18-month-olds to get super interested in some toy and then have it arbitrarily taken away 5 or 10 minutes later. I wished I hadn't signed up after taking the class and swore to myself that with my next kid I wouldn't make the mistake of signing up for classes of any sort before it really seems developmentally appropriate (in my experience somewhere around 2.5 or 3 obviously depending on the kid-and obviously that's just my personal take on that).One other thing that I'll add is that I found it super annoying that all of the grown ups were essentially asked to participate by acting like giant toddlers. The toddlers seemed to struggle and be periodically frustrated, and the parents were all modeling the kind of participation that would have been ideal from the toddlers. Just remembering it makes me glad I don't have that weekly commitment anymore!

Comment: I used to take a little girl I watched to the Mark Morris parent and toddler class. She loved it and I loved it. I'm planning on signing my daughter up for class there when/if she shows an interest in dancing.
Honestly, I love Mark Morris in general. I also had a teen who lived with me for a time who took class there and we were just as pleased with those
classes.

Reviewed by

On 07-Feb-2015

Subject: Re: Boys Dance class

Comment: Giving a shout out to Mark Morris Dance Center. They have boys classes in several types of dancing.(Reviewed Jan 2015)

Comment: Blossom at Mark Morris Dance Center was recommended to me by a private pilates instructor and I loved her class. I also dug being at the dance center. It has quite a nice vibe and the studio is beautiful.
(March 2012)

Comment: I would wholeheartedly recommend Mark Morris Dance Center for children's
classes, especially tap. I am an (adult) professional dancer and I sometimes
take classes there. A few years ago, I took some adult tap classes there that
were fantastic.
(July 2011)

Comment: Mark Morris Dance CenterHow old is your child? (or the age when he/she attended this program)?
Age: - 6What did you/your child like about this program or class?
Enjoyed the dance classes. Liked the teachers.Will you send your child back to this program or class again? (Or would you if you could?)
YesWould you recommend this program to other parents for their child in the future?
Highly recommend

Comment: My younger daughter is presently taking ballet there, and my older daughter will be doing modern dance in January. The instructors are fabulously fabulous. The schedule is broad enough to accommodate travel from other parts of Brooklyn if you don't live in Fort Greene/Boerum Hill/North Slope (we live in Cobble Hill and take the G train). And the prices are competitive with other options.